THE NYC TAXI OF TOMORROW

New York City’s iconic yellow taxis move a staggering 230 million passengers a year. That’s 600,000 every day, or 25,000 an hour. It takes more than 1,300 individual taxis to pull this off.

The amount of organization, infrastructure, planning, and foresight involved in running an operation like this can’t be overstated, but in the end, it all comes down the vehicles themselves. If the taxis don’t run, New York City doesn’t run.

In 2007, the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission recognized that the current fleet of aging sedans would soon have to be replaced, and the "Taxi of Tomorrow" program was born.

A group of stakeholders, comprised of taxi drivers, owners, passengers, automotive designers, and everyday New Yorkers, were asked a simple question: What do you need from the next-generation New York City taxi?

It needs to be efficient, reliable, safe, spacious, quick, clean, modern, maneuverable, compact, comfortable, versatile, convenient, quiet, rugged, and easy to drive, among other things. With this lengthy list of demands in hand, the Taxi Commission invited automakers from across the globe to compete for the honor of supplying NYC with its famous yellow cabs.

Nissan designers and engineers went straight to work, developing their own vision of the Taxi of Tomorrow. The result was the NV200, a vehicle that both draws on features from across Nissan’s comprehensive range of fuel-efficient vehicles, and features dozens of innovative, creative solutions to the challenges a NYC taxi faces every day.

The competition lasted a grueling two years and featured impressive designs, vehicles and ideas from across the globe. When the dust finally settled, the NV200 was declared the Taxi of Tomorrow.

First taking to the streets in 2013, the North American-made NV200 will be the city’s official, exclusive taxi for the following decade. New York’s drivers, passengers, and pedestrians alike will all notice, and benefit from, the difference.

WATCH THE TAXI OF TOMORROW VIDEO

BENEFITS FOR NYC TAXI DRIVERS

Efficiency

A NYC taxi travels roughly 70,000 miles a year, using a lot of fuel along the way. To reduce both fuel consumption and pollution, the NV200 is equipped with a powerful, efficient 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine.

Even with its roomy interior and expansive cargo area, the NV200 sits on a shorter wheelbase than a traditional sedan-based taxi, which reduces the overall length of the vehicle. That’s right -- the new taxi is actually bigger on the inside and smaller on the outside.

This innovative design means that the shorter taxis will, cumulatively, open up approximately five acres of space on New York City’s notoriously congested streets, reducing gridlock, pollution, and idling in the process.

Beyond just shuttling happier passengers, the new taxis make the job of a NYC taxi driver much easier. They’ll be seated in a comfortable, six-way adjustable driver’s seat that moves even when the partition is installed. The interiors are finished with anti-microbial, environmentally friendly materials that are easy to clean and help reduce airborne odors.

Comfort

Passengers will enter and exit the vehicle through sliding doors on either side. Once inside, they’ll ride higher and enjoy one of the most innovative features – a transparent roof that provides unique views of NYC’s world-famous sights and skyscrapers. Passengers also get their own climate control, and the added convenience of standard USB ports and a 12-volt charging plug. In back, the cargo area is large enough to hold the luggage of four people.

Safety

The dual-sliding doors help to eliminate collisions with pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists. Each taxi is also equipped with front- and rear-seat curtain airbags, as well as seat-mounted airbags for the front row passengers. When the doors are opened, a warning light comes on to alert other drivers.